New Norwegian Cruise Line ship to Alaska in 2013

AlaskaACT issues statement regarding new Norwegian Cruise Line ship to be deployed to Alaska in 2013

December 6, 2011, Juneau Alaska -- Alaska Alliance for Cruise Travel (AlaskaACT) released the following statement regarding a Norwegian Cruise Line announcement to deploy a new ship to Alaska in 2013.

"Today's announcement is very good news for Alaska," said Bob Berto, President of AlaskaACT. "This is the news that many businesses and communities have been hoping for. We would like to thank Norwegian Cruise Line for being responsive to the changing business climate in Alaska. This new ship could bring 38,000 visitors spending money across our state, giving our businesses a boost, creating jobs, and raising additional tax dollars for our communities," Berto said.

After several years of significant reductions in passenger volume, AlaskaACT was one of many organizations that approached the Governor and the Legislature for help in 2010 to bring ships back to Alaska. AlaskaACT members advocated for a reduced cruise ship tax in order to make Alaska more competitive in the global market.

A 2010 study prepared by Juneau research firm McDowell Group, showed that Alaska lost approximately 5,400 jobs after numerous ships left the Alaska market.

"I think all of Alaska received a wake-up call when we saw ships leaving Alaska," Berto said. "There is no question excessive taxes and government regulations hurt our business climate. Fortunately, the Governor and the Legislature took steps to put us on a new course. While more work needs to be done, today's announcement is proof positive that improving our business climate can lead to a stronger economy," Berto said.

The 2010 cruise season saw 142,000 fewer visitors. In 2011, Alaska was relatively flat. With the additional capacity of 55,000 in 2012 and the announced 38,000 increase for 2013, Alaska is well on its way to rebuilding the lost jobs and economic benefit for our state.